Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Vanity Faire Two





Last April, a friend of mine stayed over at my place while waiting for his date to pick him up. This tropa used to think less of appearance (he was already commanding the market) and more of career opportunities. But because he found a job that pays well, things have started to change.


The boy suddenly paid more attention to vanity.

As my barkada prepared for his date's arrival, I took a peek at the contents of his bag. He then laid it on my bed. What I saw changed my impression of him forever.

Adidas Body Spray, Bench Hair Fix, Cetaphil Facial Wash, and an expensive perfume I can't recall. These men's beauty products overwhelmed me.


Where's the koboy bestfriend I once knew.

Two months after his revelation, I began to have my own line-up, which is slightly fewer that what average "metrosexuals" would include in their accessories. The places I once avoided - Watson and PX, are now my sanctuaries. The clothes I once ignored - the fitted ones - are the ones that now fill my closet. And the cheap sunglasses I used to claim as my only "luho" will have a replacement in the future.


I'm thinking along the lines of Oakley and D&G.




Vanity Faire One
Fullmetal Dreams
August 6, 2006



It was Jollieboie aka Rocco Sison who decided to drop by that Thursday evening. With him was a big bag full of stuff he will bring to a secluded island off Quezon. His Fil-Spanish date asked him to spend the Holy Week with him, and since his transport and accommodation were already attended, Rocco said yes to the invitation. 

He chose my house as his staging ground before leaving for the province.

My exposure to his vanity side was short, it was almost fleeting. Ironic as it may seem, but at a time when I was happily domesticated, the last thing I should be worried about was my appearance. But because I was riding the high winds of my newly toned body, for me it was time for a makeover. Gone are the days when I would be satisfied with Kissa Papaya Soap and Celeteque Facial Wash.

Overnight, the female-sounding bar of Papaya extracts and fatty acids was replaced by an icy-menthol imported soap. A facial foam wash took the reigns of a formulated cleansing agent - which actually dried my skin, and while I didn't change the roll-on brand, I chose a deodorant with manly scents. Rexona grey used to be my preferred underarm protection, but I simply got bored with its smell.  



Years went by and my grooming line stayed faithful to the original. The facial foam is still there and so is the icy soap, which I love buying in packs of three. There are times when the dictates of budget tells me to cut down on my grooming, but not even a recession could force me to shift to cheaper alternatives - yet.






To this day, my best friend never knows how much his unintentional show and tell had changed me or how much I felt more confident going out and meeting people knowing I am well-groomed. Only once did I accompany him at Landmark to buy his needs, but by then, I have learned what there is to learn. And every time I return to Watsons to replenish my own grooming needs, my thoughts return to that evening when  Jolliboie dropped by before meeting his date.

Looking inwards, it was the beginning of my evolution.



Next: Mugen's 5 essential men's care products. 



18 comments:

Unknown said...

Meanwhile, I'm probably the only transwoman in the country who doesn't give a fuck about make-up. >_<'

Nimmy said...

ayun. may naisingit na tipid tip si kuya oh. buying soaps in packs of three. hihi

napansin ko lang. mahilig ka sa color blue? :)

Désolé Boy said...

Ganyan din ang nangyari sa 'kin. Yes, I've been addicted to branded clothes but never in vanity talaga. But lately, nagugulat na lang ako sa laki ng ginagastos ko for a single bottle of moisturizer, facial wash at body scrubs. Dati kasi ang dahilan ko, bakla na nga ako so parang redundant na pag naging vain pa ko, di ba?
.
.
Ang pinakanakakaloka pa niyan, I recently bought a concealer from Mac dahil sa patung-patong kong eyebags. Haha.

RainDarwin said...

Again, one of your nicest post papa joms. Nakakatuwa hahahahaha.

tumbling ako dito :

"... when Jolliboie dropped by before meeting his date."

isang malaking tawa ulet:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHA.

zeke said...

Haha, basta ako, sa deodorant lang ako vain. Sa iba hindi na. Whaaa. Oh, may post pala ako dati na gumagamit ako ng lotion, just to moisturize the skin kaya lang pag nalelate ako, di ko na siya naapply.

I think i should visit the derma, too, para maging vain na rin ako sa facial products. LOLz

Ay, pati pala sa buhok. Clay/wax lang. hahaha

ZaiZai said...

naku ako 1/4 ng sweldo sa watsons napupunta. not good. can't wait for your 5 essential men's products :)

Mr. Hush Hush said...

Mugen :) I like this post.

Hmmm.. if your face gets dry by using Nivea, after shower, pat in some moisturizer (mine's Celeteque coz it's water based, the rest are oil based and tends to get greasy). That will do the trick :)

Oh, oh, oh, then somebody mentioned MAC here. hihihihi it does wonders to your skin! I used to have a concealer also, which is good, but the studio fix is much much better :) It doesn't look as if you have make up. hahahahaha

hmmmmm.. kung sa perfume, I had discovered before that Zenzest Gin and Tonic smells exactly the same as Lacoste Red Sport. From then, I never turned back on my everyday cologne. hahahaha

sana may na contribute ako. hehehe

*hush, hush*

Matt Bergin said...

My grooming kit, which i bring along most of the time, almost always has the following - 2 sachets of shampoo, a small bottle of body wash, a hand and body lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, mouthwash, a deo spray, a bottle of eau de toilette and hair wax. Basically covers everything.

Oh wait, a box of condoms included. Always come in handy.

eskay said...

Hi Mugen! (feeling close?) Ako walang skin care regimen, though I make sure to take a bath before going to sleep. I use any available soap available, I know it's horrendous, ako lang ang ata ang beki na walang vanity products.
---

Sa bawat dalaw ko sa blog mo, na a alala ko ang PEx.
----

Salamat sa pagsilip at pagsunod sa aking munting silid =>

dario the jagged little egg said...

Ahihi mahilig ako sa mga pabango : )

bien said...

Ok lang Mugen. Di pa naman OA ang men's care collection mo. Medyo butch pa. Pero di ba nice ang feeling pag well-groomed ka. Besides gone are the days na pag vain ka eh bakla ka na, in our case bakla nga talaga lol

Mugen said...

Bien:

May kilala ako na nakakalula talaga ang laman ng kikay kit. As in, pero ang kutis naman talaga mala-porselana. Makalag-lag panty talaga. Lolz.

Jerjer:

Alam mo sis, gusto ko ring gumawa ng blog tungkol sa pabango. Maalala ko lang kung ano yung pabangong inarbor ko sa dad ko dati. Hehe.

Jetlander:

Sus, okay lang kahit maging close ka pa, after all, second to Jollieboie eh ikaw ata ang kakilala ko from the earliest days. Kung nagpakita ka sa amin edi most likely kasama ka sa naging paglalakbay namin. Haha.

Naliligo lang ako sa gabi tuwing summer. Lamigin kasi ako. :)

Walang anuman. ;)

Mugen said...

Matt:

Your kit basically covers everything. Haha. Sounds like you're always prepared to sleep in someone else's bed.

Mr Hush:

Trust me dude, your men's line is far more advance than the grooming products I used! And yes, we've learned a lot! Thanks for sharing!!! :D

Zaizai:

Every three months ako mag-replenish ng stocks. Pero hindi naman 1/4 ang nauubos sa salary ko. Haha.

Mugen said...

Greenbreaker:

Let's have a comparison when I reveal my essentials. Hehe.

Rain Darwin:

Hay nako Papa Pilyo! Dapat maligaw dito si Rocco para siya ang maging teacher natin. Lolz.

DBoy:

Magsama kayo ni Mister Hush. Lol, concealer, moisturizer, body scrub. That's way too advance for me. Pumaparty nga ako dati na bagong shower lang. Hahah!

Nimmy:

Yup nakakatipid nga siya. And I always buy in bulk para hindi aksaya bumalik sa mall. Heheh.

Galing ah, napansin nga na may soft spot ako sa blue (and green) hehe.

Lady Datu:

And that is why you're one of kind (and someone to be brag about) Remember when I compared you to the corngirl dun sa MTV ni Lady Gaga na You and I? Hehe. Happy Eid ulit, Mistress.

eskay said...

@Mugen,huli man at magaling nakahabol din ako sa inyong paglalakbay ni Jollieboie. Masyado kasi akong mahiyain noon at wala akong lakas ng loob makipagmeet.


ako din lamigin pero I really need to take a bath kasi naglalakad ako from work to my place, puro tambutso ng jeep ang kasalamuha everyday.

Seth said...

natuto na akong magkikay kit when i was 23

i read somewhere: "i will grow old but i will not grow ugly"

thus important na ang products hehehe

Nate said...

vain ka pala kuya joms.. nice.. :)

Blessie said...

Haha, I can relate. Just two years ago, I never wore makeup. Then one morning, I realized, "Shet, tumatanda na ako!" So now, I have powder, blush on, lip tint, toner, facial wash. Magastos :-)